Book Review: Mary Hades by Sarah Dalton!

Title: Mary Hades
Author: Sarah Dalton
Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult, Gothic Horror
Release Date: May 4, 2014

Not many seventeen year old girls have a best friend who’s a ghost, but then Mary Hades isn’t your average teenager. 

Scarred physically and mentally from a fire, her parents decide a holiday to an idyllic village in North Yorkshire will help her recover. Nestled in the middle of five moors, Mary expects to have a boring week stuck in a caravan with her parents. Little does she know, evil lurks in the campsite… 

Seth Lockwood—a local fairground worker with a dark secret—might be the key to uncovering the murky history that has blighted Nettleby. But Mary is drawn to him in a way that has her questioning her judgement. 

Helped by her dead best friend and a quirky gay Goth couple, Mary must stop the unusual deaths occurring in Nettleby. But can she prevent her heart from being broken?

The first in a series of dark YA novels, Mary Hades follows on from the bestselling Kindle Single 'My Daylight Monsters'. A spine-tingling tale with romance, readers will be shocked and entertained in equal measure.

“Death seems to trail me like the train of a wedding dress.”

When I first saw the title, I thought that it was about marrying Hades. But when I read the synopsis, I was slightly right – at least about the dead part. 

Normally, I wouldn't talk about the cover of a book but I think the cover of Mary Hades is very beautiful. The font, color scheme and graphic seems to fit the story.

The book started with a bang. Narrating the story of what had happened in the ward that Mary was in, gave the story a grip. I kind of thought that I would've loved to read about her stay there and how & why it turned out like that. Also, I want to read about how Mary and Lacey became friends. 

I didn't expect for Mary to be quite normal. She was troubled by things and I’m sure it will mess you up over time. So it’s a good thing she can still appreciate life and know how to trust her instincts when it comes to boys.*snickers*


Some people think that endings are the best part  and sometimes they’re right. The turnaround of the story surprised me. It was pretty predictable in the beginning but the ending startled me. It’s always a good thing to catch the readers unexpectedly. That’s what this novel did. It will also make you want to keep reading the ghost hunting journey of Mary. Hopefully, there’s a reunion with the gang.

Mary Hades is a hauntingly satisfying read that will thrill you with romance and horror. 

“That’s your mum, isn’t it?”
“How did you guess?”
“You look alike.”
I narrow my eyes at him. “I’ve killed people for less.”


Sarah Dalton grew up in the middle of nowhere in the countryside of Derbyshire and as a result has an over-active imagination. She has been an avid reader for most of her life, taking inspiration from the stories she read as a child, and the novels she devoured as an adult. 

Sarah mainly writes speculative fiction for a Young Adult audience and has had pieces of short fiction published in the Medulla Literary Review, PANK magazine, Apex Magazine and the British Fantasy Society publication Dark Horizons. Her short story ‘Vampires Wear Chanel’ is featured in the Wyvern Publication Fangtales.

She is the author of the popular YA dystopia series 'Blemished' and the gothic novella 'My Daylight Monsters'. She is currently working on a YA Fantasy series titled 'White Hart'.


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